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When you are put to sleep to have the baby, not like a dog I mean, under General anastesia.

Oh, I had one of those and didn't even know that's what they used to call it!!

I was always curious, how do you give birth that way? I mean you obviously can't push, so how does it happen?

it's creepy. I watched a special on it.. they stopped doing it somewhere after the 60's-70's for lots of reasons but it was linked to depression in the babies born that way. The mother was put on a surgical table and they literally took the baby out of her. She didn't even get to see the baby until it was all washed up and in the nursery. I don't know, no matter how bad it hurts I want to be coherent for the birth of my baby.

My grandmother-in-law spoke about this, and how strange it felt to go in pregnant and then the next thing you know it is several hours later and they bring you a clean little baby all wrapped up in a bundle. She had twin girls, and didn't even know she was carrying twins, and when they told her that both babies were hers, she didn't really believe them. I think about how sad some women are that they had to have a c-section and did not get to experience labor, or especially how melancholy they are if it is an emergency and they are put completely under the anesthesia. But just imagine all of these women who COULD have given birth normally but who miss the entire experience. It would be sad to remember nothing about their birth... to not hear their first cry or see the face of the father to light up with joy. It's no wonder it was linked with depression!

km216- Do you mean like a c-section or was it a v____al birth you are talking about? For mine I was asleep and had a c-section. It was weird not getting to see baby right away, but for me there was no choice- I wasn't a candidate for a spinal or VBAC!! But, my husband was born v____ally that way!! Don't ask me how... he was born on 1967. My MIL was having a lot of trouble getting him out and she was 43 yo, and that's the route the hospital chose- don't know why they didn't c-section her- I mean I know it wasn't as common then, but I do know some other women older than her that had c-sections- maybe it had to do with what hospital was delivering. Well, I'm rambling, but I'm curious as to how they took the baby out if it's v____al you are talking about!!

You mean like with forcepts or something? Oh wow. I don't know why doctors have this urge to mess with nature so much. I went the natural route and got so much pressure from the doctor and nurses to get an epidural. They asked me like every half an hour. I wanted to throw something at them. Its not like I was bothering them or complaining or screaming. Just let me be.

Thanks, I guess I was right.

My understanding from my grandmother is that it is a light sleep they put you into and then they get the baby out (push on your belly, use forceps, etc). I'll take the current methods, thanks!

Yeah, that would be so weird, I would be sad if I had to have pain medication at all, I want to experience the birth completly, but I couldn't imagine not even experiencing it at all. I know a woman who gave birth that way and she was convinced that she had twins, when she didn't because she woke up a little and saw the baby coming out and they put her back under, but the doctor wasn't there so they held the baby in and then she woke up again and saw it coming out again and thought it was another baby. That would be so weird

"twilight birth" is just referring to the method of basically knockin' ya out. I'm sure there were c-sections done this way too but even women who had their babies v____ally were put to sleep.. as you contract, they push, pull, etc.. do what needs to be done. I could deal with a c-section but i'm just saying it'd be strange to wake up not pregnant anymore and have my baby all cleaned up and in the nursery.

It was a little strange, but not bad! When I went in for my c-section that day, they said my platelets were way too low for a spinal (they were 89- my doc likes them to be 110 or higher, but will do a spinal at 100). The anesthesiologist said that if I was dead set on being awake he'd do it, but that any slight bleeding could be "devastating." No thank you!! Anyway, I know what goes on during a c-section since I had two others and I've had the gaps filled in to me by my doctor and a kind nurse who took tons of digital photos!! The one thing that would have been cool to witness was that everyone in the operating room heard my son crying b/f my doctor was done with the uterine incision! Anyway, when I got to see him he took right to nursing and there were no bonding problems (sorry to those that do believe this, but I don't believe that if you don't get to hold/nurse your baby right away that you don't bond right!!) So, actually, it was a good birth experience and I'd do it again the same way- same with my other two!!

I just asked my MIL about her twilight birth. She said that my dh was stuck in the birth ca___l with the cord around his neck. They sedated her a bit (she was awake, but groggy) and she could feel them trying to turn him, but it wasn't working. Then the doctor said, "Put her out" and she said, "no", but they did anyway. She must have woken up pretty quickly, because they were still cleaning baby up when she came to and he was blue from the waist down from having the cord around his neck! Eventually he "pinked up". She said that looking at it now she's glad they put her to sleep, because she was 43 yo and she said she just didn't have the strength left to keep going like with her other 4 children! My SIL is now 43 and pregnant with her 3rd (her daughters are 17 and 11), so I hope all goes well with her!! Just thought I'd share:)